Latest News from Marian College, School of Nursing

It’s That Time Again… Dealing with Nursing School Finals

It doesn’t matter who you are or how much time you have – one thing is certain: finals are stressful. Even for A students. If you haven’t tried these nursing school finals tips yet, then give them a shot. You never know, they might ease the pain.

Share the Pain

Misery loves company – so they say. Many students enjoy studying together in groups. Not only does it help make studying a bit more fun, but it allows people to ask each other questions. By answering a question, it gives you the chance to explain a concept – which is the ultimate test as to whether or not you truly understand something.

Give Yourself Some “Me” Time

Experts say that learning is best when we do it in short bursts. Group studying can help this. But if you decide to go solo, not a problem. This will vary from person to person, but a good regimen to follow is to study for roughly 30-45 minutes, and then give yourself a nice 20 minute break. This 20 minutes of “me” time may sound counter-productive, but it has been shown to work really well in helping students retain information. Let’s face it, most of our attention spans cannot even surpass 10 minutes before our mind starts wandering – and at that point you aren’t learning anything.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

A simple concept: keep your phone away from you while you study. It’s best to keep it out of sight because the minute you lock eyes with it – you’ve already stopped studying. By keeping it out sight, you also keep it out of your mind, which would allow you to focus better.

Stay Healthy

Finals are stressful and when we are stressed we tend to stuff our faces with unhealthy food. Why? Because it makes us feel better. Unfortunately, this isn’t good for our bodies, including our brains. You know that feeling after consuming too much pepperoni pizza – you feel slow, lazy, and overall in a “blah” mood. Save the delivery pizza for after your finals when you ace them. In the meantime, stick to Mother’s wisdom: fruits and vegetables. Also, be sure to get at least 6.5 hours of sleep instead of pulling the unhealthy all-nighter binge with energy drinks. Water is your best bet.